Month: December 2014

Break out the Bubbles! Top 5 Options for New Year’s Eve

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As unfathomable as it may seem, this year is already over! The Christmas season just flew by and now the pre-New Year’s Eve jitters set in. You know that last minute frenzy leading up to New Year’s Eve… Should we go out or stay in? Will it be too crowded? Who is going to drive? What should we drink? While I can’t help you with the driving that night, I can lend a hand in selecting some tasty Sparkling selections for your festivities. Below are my 5 Favorite Bubbly options from $15-50.

Wallpaper holiday, new year, wine glasses, a bottle of champagne, 2014, bokeh

La Marca Prosecco – For around $15 I don’t think it gets much better than this Italian sparkler. Dry and zesty, the sweet honeysuckle notes enhance the core fruit of apple and peach while the crisp acidity runs straight through to the finish.

Domaine Carneros 2009 Ultra Brut – This Taittinger owned winery makes some of the best sparkling juice in all of Cali, and at $25 this is easily their greatest value. Aromas of lime zest, lemongrass and lovely floral notes lead to a dry and complex palate of apple, marzipan and almost flinty minerality.

Sparkling Pointe Brut – Keep it local and drink some tasty Long Island sparkling this New Year’s! Delicate, yet not simple, on the palate with lemon citrus and green apple fruit. Those classic yeasty and biscuit flavors find their way towards the finish leaving you looking for your next sip. Not a steal at $30, but Long Island real estate ain’t cheap.

Charles de Monrency Brut Reserve – A ‘grower’ Champagne that has all the quintessential qualities of top vintage offerings that are twice the price. Fine and lengthy bubbles lead to nutty, honied and toasty aromas and flavors. The biscuit and melon notes on the finish hang around long after the juice is gone. A lucious, mouthfilling mousse on this one as well.

Piper-Heidsieck Cuvée Brut – Without question my favorite Champagne for around $40+. It has that dry and crisp minerality that balances harmoniously with the citrus, green apple and subtly yeasty notes. For my palate this is as good as it gets under $50.

Whatever you choose to sip on this New Year’s Eve be sure to enjoy with family and friends, as that is sure to enhance any Sparkling experience.

Have a Happy and Healthy Y’all, catch ya in 2015!

Wine Serving Temps and Tips

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Not sure if you are serving your wine at the right temperature or how to get it to the perfect serving temp? Confused on what stemware to use? Check out the Wine Enthusiast piece below (by WWG) that has all the info you need to ensure that the lovely juice you are pouring at your holiday party is being enjoyed to its full potential.

Your Cheat Sheet to Serving Wine

 

How to serve wine

5 Simple Rules of BYO

/ WestchesterWineGuy / 3 Comments

With more and more consumers reluctant to pay the high markups that are inherent to many wine lists, BYO has become more prevalent than ever. Restaurants tend to mark up wines anywhere from 2-4 times the retail price that you will find at your local wine shop, not to mention the mark up from their cost. While the convenience and selection is well worth the price to some, others prefer to select from their own collection then the restaurant’s wine cellar. Below are 5 simple rules to help determine the appropriate scenario to bring your own bottle and some guidelines for restaurant etiquette if you choose to do so.

  • Free is for me! – If there is no corkage fee, than there is no reason NOT to bring your own bottle. Even if restaurants charge a nominal (under $10) corkage fee it still makes all the sense in the world. You could choose to bring a moderately priced bottle and it will still be a lot less at your local wine shop then at the restaurant.
  • Big names = Big Corkage Fees – If you are going to a top tier steakhouse or a popular French bistro, you are probably looking at a corkage fee of $35-75. For these eateries you’re probably better off sticking with their wine list.
  • Make it worthwhile – You certainly could bring an inexpensive bottle, but that would defeat the purpose. Mark ups are typically higher on the reserve selection wines, especially from older vintages, so the better bottle you bring the more you are saving.
  • Tip on the service – The server should provide the same service on the bottle of wine whether it is purchased from the restaurant or not, so be sure to include something in the tip for that bottle. A good rule of thumb is to multiply the retail cost of the wine times 2 or 3 and add that to the total bill before calculating the tip.
  • Buy an additional bottle from the wine list – If you’re dining with a large group, doing this shows you appreciate their hospitality and would like to thank them for it…that is of course if you are enjoying the meal and the experience!

 

Cheers!